Alaska's Lodge for Bear Viewing and Photography and Other Top Stories from Fishing on SI

Sports Illustrated highlighted three of the week’s most-read fishing stories, centered on Alaska wildlife, fly fishing, and a technique for finding bites. “Inside Bear Haven” profiles an Alaska lodge where photographers watch a coastal brown bear with cubs feeding on sockeye salmon in close quarters—about 30 feet away for the adults and less for the cubs. Another story features Eddie Russell, a master distiller tied to Wild Turkey, describing how fishing on Montana’s Gallatin River helped reset his approach after missing early strikes. The third piece explains “search baits” adapted to fly fishing—covering water efficiently at a selected depth, then slowing down when fish become active.